147 jobs lost at Patton sub-contractor Hughes

Administrators have confirmed that 147 people who worked for a Co Antrim group that was a major sub-contractor to failed construction firm Patton have lost their jobs.

Directors of the Dunloy-based Joseph Hughes Group requested that administrators were appointed to a number of its businesses including Joseph Hughes Painting Contractors Limited and JH Industrial Cleaning Services Limited.

The employees at Hughes are the latest casualties following the collapse of Ballymena-based Patton Group where about 220 people have also lost their jobs since administrations were appointed to it on November 6th.

Stephen Cave and Paul Rooney, from PwC’s Business Recovery Services department in Belfast, were appointed as joint administrators to the Joseph Hughes Group companies on Monday.

The group, which had been in business since 1977, and had offices in Belfast and Dunloy, provided specialist services mainly to the construction sector.

Stephen Cave, joint administrator, said the group had suffered cash flow difficulties because of the downturn in the construction sector.

“A company voluntary arrangement was already in place, but the collapse of Patton has made the group’s position untenable and it can no longer continue to trade,” Mr Cave added.